Monthly Archives: August 2014

I’m reposting this here from my Facebook Page. I promised that I wouldn’t do a lot of Mom stuff on here, but this is more than mom stuff. This is about a girl learning to love who she is. It’s gotten a ton of likes and support and I’m still reeling. You can read the full text below.

Something amazing happened today. I brought my daughter to Intervention today and she made an LIFE-CHANGING discovery.

Since she started school, this kid had been told that she was weird, and wrong, and an outcast because she was a girl who liked things like skeletons, and steampunk, and Dr. Who, instead of American Girl Dolls and Horses.

Today she saw and met a ton of women and girls who liked all those “geek” things that she liked and that they were proud of it. And sherealized:SHE WAS NOT ALONE.

She was a part of something. And she was among people who thought that she was wonderful. IT’S SO GREAT that her first great con adventure was in such a safe, warm, friendly convention like Intervention and it was everything I hoped it would be and MORE. She’s already bouncing up and down in anticipation of ReGeneration Who.

I’m going to be at the Tangent Artists table in the vendor’s hall at Intervention this weekend, a brilliant Internet-themed convention that I’ve done for 4 years in a row. Now, I never make it out of the vendor’s hall for most of the con, but I always have a blast with all of the other artists in the vendor’s hall.

Every year it’s been like a great big party for artists. No drama, no competition, no overwhelming cacophony, just mutual appreciation and cameraderie. It’s just all-around pleasant and my favorite way to hang with fans, friends and colleagues.

As a con-goer, though, there’s always a HUGE array of guests, like Phil Kahn, Kara Denison, Kelsey Wailes, and the Godfather of webcomics: Pete Abrams! It’s also hosted by one of the coolest ladies in existence, Oni Harstein. There’s a ton of panels, activities and it’s also kid-friendly and a designated SAFE con. You should totally go.

While you’re there, you’ll have ample opportunity to take a look at the new Tangent Artists book: “A Cleric’s Guide to Smiting,” companion our bestselling humour book, “The Handbook for Saucy Bards.”

Sometimes I go out of my way to create a magical character experience. Sometimes I think, “I’m going to make a wonderful, memorable character that people will love and latch on to! They will be immortalized in people’s hearts and minds and people will love them like they were a real person!”

And sometimes I think, “I’m just going to slap a guy in there and figure it out later.”

I’m flattered that so many people like Linus, who I designed with the first intent.

I was TOTALLY unprepared for people’s reactions to this guy:

Quince The Unexpected.

In the infamous D&D game where Linus and his gang first originated, Quince was simply an NPC created by our awesome GM. Hence his main role was to provide information when we needed it and be the damage tank that our melee-challenged party needed. Since we were all a bunch of chatty wise-asses, Quince didn’t end up saying much. And since we all sucked at fighting, he did most of it for us.

I decided to include him in the Linus Saga debut novel, because we needed someone for Linus to reveal important plot information to— something my brother and I refer to as “Stan the Explained to” which far more enjoyable than the usual trope of “Sam the Explainer.” Quince was the new guy from bumpkin land who didn’t know anything about the Union-riddled norms of the more civilized parts of Tereand and he served the narrative well.

…and then a surprising thing happened…

People at conventions came up to me and kept saying things along the lines of, “I read your book! I absolutely love Quince!”

Double-take, triple-take, spit take.

What the WHAT?

And it kept happening! More and more people were telling me that they loved Quince and wanted more of him! And I was thinking, “Oh, CRAP! I’ve written almost 3 more books and Quince isn’t in them!” So now I’m trying to get back to his story in the roughs of Book 4 and seeing how that goes.

So yeah, sometimes people DO love your roguish scruffy looking nerf-herder with a walking carpet… and sometimes people fixate on that ONE bounty hunter in the background with 4 lines.

SO:

Fun Facts about Quince:

1. He likes small fluffy animals, especially ducks and kitties.

2. He isn’t as silent as he seems, it’s just that Linus never lets him get a word in edgewise.

“It’s your job. You’re an internet writer and artist. And now that the kids are going to school today you have to update the blog.”

“I can’t. I’m sick. I have to stay home”

“You work from home.”

“Damn it.”

I don’t want to smile. Smiling sucks.

I actually had it pretty good this summer. I spent oodles of time with my kids coming up with stories and adventures and projects, and introducing them to my MMORPGS. But I didn’t get much work done. That’s how it goes, and frankly I’m not sorry I had a blast with my kids. But it’s time to dust off the parts of the keyboard that aren’t: QWEASD and get my working pants on.

So, here’s some stuff I’m working on now:

Book 4 of the Linus Saga: Working Title “Inquire Within” It’s a more serious missal where we get to meet all of his brothers and sisters and see how they interact.

Linus Saga Prequel: I’m working on a novel where we see a young asshole-ish Linus meet Deirdre for the first time and what eventually culminates in their marriage. Should be fun.

Madame Bluestocking’s Pennyhorrid 2: Working Title: “The Lost Mines of Nadoras” in which Kelly and Lynald become claim jumpers hoping to strike magic in an abandoned zynythstite mine.

I’m also working on some commissions that I might reveal in the fullness of time, if the clients should allow it, and I’ll be bringing back Character Spotlight Wednesday this week starting with Quince.

Pass the Coffee. It’s going to be a long 9 months. Goodbye, Lord of the Rings Online. It’s been fun.